Yours and Mine
by Cheria
Summary: The two of them had made a promise that was never meant to be broken. But when the impossible seems to have occurred, will Sakura be able to let go for the better?


Dislcaimer: I do not own Naruto nor any of its contents, Masashi Kishimoto does.

Authoress' Notes: Oh, boy, I can't seem to write happy stories. This Naruto one-shot is dedicated to someone for being such an awesome friend. But… this wasn't what I had in mind for this; the general concept seems too depressing in my opinion… oh, well.

Just a note for the readers, though: I don't know jack about Naruto, just a few characters and stuff, but otherwise… nada! And Sakura _might_ seem rather out-of-character in some parts, but please bare with me, I'm just trying this out to practice writing the couple, despite how… strangely presented it is here.

* * *

The morning sun was as welcoming as it possibly could be, its light giving a lively glow to the environment. Birds chirped happily while flapping their wings joyously from the gentle and warm breeze that swept across the sky. The ground was just as occupied as the air with fliers, villagers tending to their daily duties. Men labored, women gossiped of the latest news, children ran after one another in an effort to catch, and the day was just like any other. But the sunlight seemed too strong and giving. 

It felt like it was compensating. For what, Sakura did not have any idea.

The pink-haired girl walked down the road, a smile creeping onto her features when she watched the children giggle when they tumbled into each other. She kept her hands behind her back, fingers entwining with one another as she slowly but gently rocked back and forth, continuing her short walk. The breeze was particularly freshening today.

"Sakura-chan!" Said lass turned, facing a fellow villager she had come to befriend during her earlier adolescence; a tall and lean dark-haired boy who always seemed to somehow have cherry blossoms to give to her whenever she was around. (1) It had been fishy from the beginning, but the ninja had played dumb to allow the youth his satisfaction of knowing she had made her happy with the beautiful flowers, despite how battered they may have been from his constant scrunching out of anxiety.

"Hey," she greeted, waving back as the boy jogged towards her, one hand behind his back. _Another cherry blossom._ Sakura mused inwardly, stifling a giggle from the repetitive act of this giving scene.

Once he reached her a slim arm slid around the girl's neck, the lad's arm now resting on one of her shoulders, "Guess what I have for you today?"

She flashed a genuine smile, "Cherry blossoms?"

The usual answer was _Why yes, how did you know, you pretty flower?_. But it was different today.

"A-hah!" He started, nearly causing Sakura to jump back in alarm due to natural instincts, "See, I knew you'd think that, so I got something different to surprise you. Not that I got tired of bringing those pretty flowers that's your name, but I thought a change for once would be nice." His other arm snaked around her own as he brought up the hidden hand to his face. "Ta-dah." He whispered in her ear.

A blink of confusion, and Sakura soon found herself looking at the crimson flower that was held before her face. It wasn't a rose, far from it, but the shade was similar, if not more of a bloody crimson color. In all honesty, she had never seen a plant like it before, and excitement began to take over her usually controlled mannerism. Even with the restriction of her movement from the boy's arms, she carefully reached for the flower, which was gently surrendered from her admirer. She took a moment to observe it further until she could literally feel the giver's proud grin behind her.

"What do you think?" He started, his grip on her loosening.

She immediately replied, "It's beautiful."

"I knew you'd say that." The boy drawled, his arms now completely leaving Sakura as his already huge grin got bigger.

There was just a moment of silence when Sakura decided to pop the question she had had in her mind all this time. "… But why?" She turned her head to see the boy in a bewildered state, a look of confusion crossing his mind as his eyes narrowed.

"What do you mean, 'why'? Because… because I love you, Sakura-chan!"

_Okay. This was _way_ too sudden._ She thought, _And I thought confessions were harder than that! I had so much trouble with Naruto, and this guy just says it like it's a simply reason! Well, I suppose it _is_ a simple reason enough to tell someone for situations like this, but…_

Apparently seemingly troubled, Sakura sputtered out a single word, "B-but… "

"I know," he interrupted, "You like Naruto-kun, huh? I've seen the way you look at him, it's obvious you're crazy for him! But that doesn't change my love for you, dear Cherry Blossom, you'll always be my favorite girl in this entire world. Even if you like someone else and am not interested in me." The lad paused for a moment before continuing, "Don't get me wrong. I'm not going to get in the way of your love life; you just better be sure to net Naruto-kun, 'cause I won't take kindly to losing to someone like that!" He finished his quickly thought-up speech with a wink before trudging away.

Sakura only blinked at the chaos of it all. _Today sure is… different._

It wasn't long before she returned home, the red flower still in her hand as she plopped it into a cup after filling the container with some water. All ready the plant was withering from the smoldering heat, and it was rather disappointing considering the beauty the flower possessed. Casually she dropped the cup onto a table, taking a seat by it as she stared blankly at the latest flower gift she had received. For some unbeknownst reason, it sent horrifyingly undesired chills down her spine. But nevertheless, she continued to peer at the flower, admiring how pretty it was.

_You just better be sure to net Naruto-kun!_

… What the?

Snapping out of her daze, Sakura shook her head, surprised at the sudden intrusion of her thoughts as the voice of her admirer came ringing. She sighed, lazily putting her arms on the table, resting her head on it while blowing at loose pink hair strands from obscuring her vision. How funny it was that a day was ruined – in a way – by a single encounter. The lad had really gotten her thinking on taking the relationship between her and Naruto one step further. Maybe she would take that advice into action soon. But one thing was for sure; she was going to strengthen the bond between the two of them, sooner or later.

The house was unusually quiet. _The silence isn't this bad most of the time…_

_Tap tap tap._

Sakura's head shot up rapidly from her arms, listening for any sort of movement for caution. It took a moment for her to realize someone had knocked on the door, and she began thinking she was too strict with herself when it comes to being a ninja. Shaking the thought out of her head, she went to answer the call, wondering if the visitor was still even at the door due to the lack of knocking.

When she opened the door she was greeted with a friend who wore a look of solemn. Immediately, Sakura knew something was wrong and out of place. Why else would such an optimistic friend be so gloomy looking? (2)

"What's wrong…?" Sakura questioned, her face contorting into one of concern as her visitor only replied with a shake of the head.

This was not going to be pretty. At all.

- - - - - - - - - -

Quite frankly, Sakura was not in the mood to be conversing with anyone. She sat on the edge of her bed, a look of defeat etched across her face as she stared blankly at her feet. For a week she'd locked herself in her room, refusing to eat or drink the amount of food and drinks she should have been. Her face was slightly sunken, disheveled and messy. Her fair pink hair was no longer silky and straight as it usually was, curling in all sorts of directions, proof of the lack of care it needed. But she didn't care.

She balled her hands into a fist, her fingers clenched so hard to the point it made her palm hurt. Then she relaxed them, spreading the nimble fingers out to relieve them of the stinging sensation. Shortly after the break she would make a fist again, repeating the process over and over, rage and depression building up inside of her.

_"Wha… wh-what do you mean?" She stammered, her fingers shaking from the uncontrollable need to cry as she felt hot stinging tears attempting to free themselves from her unwilling eyes._

_"He's gone…"_

_"B-but he _can't_ be gone… he just can't!" The lass denied, slamming curled hands onto the table, though the impact from the power was pitiful due to her lack of control from overflowing emotions._

_"Sakura-chan… he saved all the others in the process…"_

_"Don't!" She cried, "Don't make excuses! He saved everyone, I-I'm thankful for that, but… But my promise…" (3)_

_"Sakura…"_

_"My _promise_!"_

She sniffed, rubbing her nose against an arm as she dropped lifelessly to the bed, her back making soft contact with the blanket as she curled her fingers around them, twisting and twirling them. Sakura knew well that she should get on her foot sooner or later, she really did.

But it was so hard just to do _that_. She couldn't let go.

_This isn't the way it __was supposed to be…_

The funeral had supposedly been grand, fit for one like Naruto. In the end Sakura had decided to not attend, refusing to wear the black dress that reminded her of her ugly situation. And if she had gone to the event, she would have cried and cried like a fountain. It was, in her judgment, what she had to do. She had accepted his death, yet it was still lingering, the exhaustion and trauma; the undesired side effects.

Suddenly Sakura propped up against her arms, having decided what she would do. This night was a dark one, and she would have an easy time maneuvering without anyone noticing her in the darkness. She tip-toed out of her room to make minimal noise, running carefully and stealthily down the alley to not hinder any pets or other creatures that were outdoors this time of the day. It was near midnight, after all.

Soon enough she found herself slowing down at the sight of water, halting in front of a lake as a puzzled look came to possess her features. There was no lake like this in the village… A nauseous feeling abruptly interrupted her thoughts, and due to the sudden lack of strength to stand, she plunged into the cold and unwelcoming water.

Panicked, the ninja clawed ferociously at the water, the current seeming to have changed to an impossible direction as the liquid seemed to flow _inward_, pushing her further down to the endless pit. She wanted to scream, but when she opened her mouth only bubbles emerged, her voice lost. It was but a moment until Sakura finally gave in, her acts of resistance halting as her body limply fell into abyss. She felt dizzy. She was suffocating, and she knew it. Or at least she thought it was suffocation.

Something warm and comfortable wrapped itself around her arm, and she looked weakly to see a hand clutching it with awesome power and strength, yet the grip was gentle. It guided her way up, and she was reaching towards the surface in no time. But just as she emerged from the water, darkness took over, and all she saw was black.

Bright eyes shot open, and Sakura was freezing. She quickly observed her surroundings after remembering the event with the lake, but when she looked, she realized she was still in the alley.

How?

_Maybe it was a dream…_ It had seemed too real to be an illusion…

Despite her clothes and body being dry, the lass felt cold as if she had been swimming from a pool. Not only that, her throat felt raw yet abused, like how it felt when the water had rushed into her mouth the time she had decided to scream. And the dream had not felt like a mirage; it seemed too realistic.

Ever so slowly, the girl drew her legs up, stumbling against the alley's wall until she was standing again. Shakily, but still nevertheless up right. A moment passed until she abruptly turned around, her direction changing as she began to trudge, no longer caring about who she woke or disrupted.

_I found you…. Naruto-kun._

She stood solemnly before his grave, the headstone so majestic looking, almost as if to mock the talented ninja that was buried underneath it. Sakura's form went limp, and she dropped to the front of the grave, her shoulder and head resting against the stone that had her lover's name carved into it. She stayed that way for a long time before her mouth opened, and her voice cracked from the unused chords.

"… You came into my dream, didn't you." It wasn't a question, but a fact.

Silence.

"I knew it." She couldn't help but smile at that, having been – in her perspectives - saved by a spirit.

Silence.

"Guess what?"

_I'm going to live__f__or both of us. I'll live my life and yours to the fullest._

With that thought in mind, she fell into a deep and long-awaited slumber, a genuine smile etched onto her delicate yet still beautiful features. She had found her place. Sakura had let go for the better.

* * *

Authoress' Notes: Hey, you finished reading! I'm sorry for making Sakura seem so depressing and dark, but I think anyone would act in a strange way if a loved one died, no matter how strong he or she is. But I did enjoy writing this, since this is the first time I done something Naruto-related, and I haven't written in a while. 

I didn't mean to though. Kill off Naruto, that is. Don't kill me for it, ahh…

_Who's the dark-haired guy; an OC? _Yes, an original character. I wrote this on a whim, so the plot was quite random in its own fashion. Therefore, random characters should be understandable, and this guy doesn't even hold much significance save for the flower he gave Sakura.

_Who visited Sakura at her house? _This can be anyone, whoever you decide it to be. I don't watch or read Naruto, and I have only indulged in little of it just to get the slight view of a few characters. So for all we know, this can be Ino or Chouji. Whatever you decide.

_What about the promise?_ Now this is something I can't answer. Like I've mentioned before, I know the two of them have made a promise, but I don't know what exactly it _is_. But I know that it obviously requires them both to be alive, so I just went with that logic. And no, I'm not saying Sakura cares more about the promise than many others' lives, but you've got to understand the pressure she's under to just lose control like that.

_Who's this dedicated to?_ A great friend of mine, who managed to somehow convert an obscure Naruto-fan like me into loving Naruto & Sakura as a couple and individual characters. I owe her this much, don't I? Thank you, Hiromi.


End file.
